Paloma Cocktail with a Spicy Kick

Most people assume the best time to drink a Paloma cocktail is in the summer. In reality, this tequila cocktail is perfect for the winter months because fresh, ruby red grapefruit is in season! Let’s be real, everything tastes way better when it is at its peak. Ruby red grapefruits are usually in season starting in November going all the way through May. Wouldn’t you be surprised to know that National Grapefruit month is actually in February!?

Paloma drinks are a great cocktail in order to get a mix of both sweet and sour flavors. We decided to kick it up a notch and also add some heat. We love spicy drinks whether it is a jalapeno margarita or an extra-spicy bloody mary cocktail. We received a number of hot sauce flavors from Texas-based Melinda’s Hot Sauce Company, and the one that really caught our eye was the mango habanero hot sauce flavor (check out all their sauce varieties). The sauce carried some nice spice from the habanero pepper and a slightly sweet aspect of the mango. This served as the inspiration for our Mango Habanero Paloma Recipe.

Mix the hot sauce, grapefruit juice, tequila, sugar and lime in a glass. Add ice. Top with sparkling water, stir to combine. Feel free to adjust the cocktail by adding more sweetener or hot sauce to your drink. Bottoms up!

Top with grapefruit Topo Chico or other grapefruit-flavored sparkling water or soda